Jeff Odgers aka “Odg,” has a reputable background in both the hockey and farming world. Odg is a retired professional hockey player who had a prominent career playing 821 regular-season games and 47 playoff games in the National Hockey League. Odgers compiled 145 points throughout his career and was well known to the league as the “enforcer” while racking up a total of 2634 penalty minutes. He wore the “C” for the San Jose Sharks for two seasons, as well as the “A” for the Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins and Atlanta Thrashers.
Off the ice, Odgers is no stranger to the farming world. He grew up in a very small community near Spy Hill, Sask, where his family were farming a mixed cow-calf and grain operation. When Odgers was finished his hockey career in the NHL, he was lucky enough to return to doing what he loved, helping out on his family’s farm. Today farming is again at the forefront, with Odgers taking over and expanding the family farm, and now operates a certified organic grain farm in Saskatchewan. Although he is retired from hockey, he is still very involved in the game. Odgers has two sons, Johnny and Dakota, both of which have made it far in their hockey careers. “My oldest son John is no longer playing but is currently the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League, and Dakota plays University Hockey.”
Odgers, who played four seasons for the Brandon Wheat Kings, is excited to come back to Manitoba as a guest speaker for the Oil Capitals Ag Summit Fundraiser. “My two passions in life are hockey and farming, and what better event than this to have the opportunity to be a guest speaker at? I look forward to meeting this young hockey team, as well as the community of Virden.”